Adige is the river.You are the hiker, high in the valley on a
summer afternoon, hot and thirsty.Then on the outskirts of the tiny village of Puiten, you spy a weinstube.Groaning
muscles are eased into a chair.Half a
litre of cool water is quickly absorbed.Then (o radiance!) several ounces of liquid geology are placed before
you.You sip, and the day eases.How generous the earth, to give people the
material to produce this delight!And
how delicious this product of their talents!Time to order dinner.

From the cooler,
northern region of Alto Adige come the wines of the Colterenzio cooperative.
This producer specializes in single-varietal wines. The combination of high
altitude and climate makes for brilliant and intense white wines. They're
proud of their efforts in the vineyard, too, using only organic fertilizers
and biological pest control. Coupled with modern technology such as
temperature-controlled fermentation, preserving the natural fruit flavors and
youthful feel, these practices make for bright, very precisely shaped wines,
with a refreshing acidity that makes them wonderful food companions.

Gambero Rosso, the classic reference
for Italian wine, says that this region, the Alto Adige, is one of the top 5
areas in the country, asserting that this is also the home of the "best
assortment of wine cooperatives in the world, exemplary for both their
efficiency and the high general quality of even their run-of-the-mill
products." Further kudos for Colterenzio from the same publication:
"Their entire line has few competitors in any part of Italy, and their
whites are among the very best of their area". We agree in every
particular and can only urge you to sample a selection of delicious summer
whites.

Pinot
Grigio Alto Adige

More often than not Pinot Grigio is
the white wine people ask for when they don't have the energy for something
more interesting; so many of these wines are pale, overcropped imitations of
the real McCoy. The grape, easygoing by nature, takes an attentive
grower-producer and hillside vineyards to bring out its best. Colterenzio's
Alto Adige Pinot Grigio proves it can be done. Lively, slightly candied
aromas give way to some soft, round bubble-gummy fruit; an immensely likeable
and versatile summer wine.